Hi there!  Boy it's been busy around here!  Casey's 3rd birthday is right around the corner.  All he wants to do on his birthday - is 'GO TO THE FAIR!!!'  He's never seen a fair, but daddy regularly entertains him with stories of his old rodeo days which usually took place at fairgrounds so Casey is entranced with the idea of a fair.  Unfortunately there are no fairs close by on July 9th, so we may settle for Wild Waves where they have a kiddie enchanted village with little rides, food, etc.  The other thing Casey wants to do on his b-day is eat his 'favorite food....corn on the cob, pot stickers, popcorn chicken, and rice.'  Goodness I can't believe he'll be 3...where does the time go?  We are setting the stage that on that 3rd birthday, no more DIAPERS!  Wish us luck!  We're also saying that 3 year old's get their hair cut like big boys - so I'm crossing my fingers.  Everywhere we go people think he's a girl, so it is definitely time.  But oh how I'll miss those tousled curls!  He has one little corkscrew curl that falls straight down his back - sigh.  It is dreamy.  We will videotape, no doubt, and show you all a snippet!  I can't believe we ever doubted having a 2nd child.  Casey has given us new life, forward momentum, and nothing but pure joy. 

Speaking of pure joy, Cody has made some really wonderful developmental gains recently.  If he's in the swing, he will now scan the room to look for an adult, and then sign 'swing' to the person!  Used to be he'd sit in his swing and make his sign to the air...but now he understands that he needs a PERSON to help him!  This is one more step in the chain that was started when he began dragging us by the hand around the house.  That was his first acknowledgement that he needed anyone.  And this is one step further...he makes eye contact with the person and communicates to them!   We are so excited.  It has really deepened my relationship with Cody ~ if I'm making dinner or sitting at the computer ~ he makes a huge effort to make eye contact with me and TELL ME SOMETHING!  And I respond instantly, 'OH YOU WANT TO SWING!  ALRIGHT!!!!' and I run down to where he is and push him.  It's this back and forth, reciprical relationship that I've never known with him.  In the past he was always kind of oblivious to me but now he looks for me!  It's pretty darn awesome!

Well that's our new for today, we're off to H&R Block to do some taxes - ugh.  One of those nitty gritty essentials in life. 

Love to all!

Shawna